I have been saying it, one of the great tragedies of religion section of Naira Land Forum is that some religious ignoramus and vagabonds, self professed atheists and satanic worshippers are distorting Biblical Truth and posting such obnoxious materials before the public.
One of such posting are on tithing. Therefore I am not trying to argue over this topic with them but to PRESENT TO YOU THE REAL BIBLICAL MEANING AND TRUTH OF TITHING. So if you are sincere and wish to know the real truth about tithing then follow me step by step as we X-ray this subject matter and what the Bible said about it. I pray that your eyes of understanding could be opened as you read this write up. With due respect to KunleOshob and Igbogolo and co, I wish that they could take time and read down the line and allow the Holy Spirit to teach them new things in addition to what they thought they knew about tithing. Many people including many MOG are ignorant of the meaning and essence of tithing that is why they view tithe as avenue to raise money and put food on their table and clothes on their body. I will equally start by quoting John chapter 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. I want you to ponder over this, “the only way truth shall be able to set you free is if and only if you KNOW the truth”. What you don’t know you will never practice and what you don’t practice will never profit you. Ask yourself, what is TRUTH and what happens when what you earlier knew and held and practiced as the truth are nothing but half truth or lies from the devil?. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. You will never know the truth which you don’t seek to know and it is my prayer that GOD will destroy your ignorance permanently so that you move forward in pursuit of your destiny. Forget about what you thought you knew about tithe and put aside your mind set about my person. I am presenting to you the raw truth. The issue of tithe should never be the subject of our vote, but rather is what you need to fully understand and be fully persuaded in your life. You should never pay or not pay tithe based on popular or minority votes.
Having said that, I wish to point out again that tithing is one of the pillar upon which kingdom prosperity stands upon, that is, tithing is one of the spiritual key to access kingdom prosperity. The devil knew this very well and that is why he is using his agents and followers to distort the real truth about it. His plan and essence is to prevent people from having the real understanding about tithe as not to practice it. Those who knew and had correct knowledge and understanding about tithe never joke with it and are enjoying the blessings that go with it. While those who don’t have the understanding are busy making mockery of tithing and equally talking and writing against it. It is therefore a matter of who you choose to believe his report, whether the report of GOD or the report of the devil.
Coming to the subject matter of tithing, we shall seek to understand it by looking at it under the following major headings: (1) What is tithe or tithing and when did tithing started in the Bible? Is tithing a law or commandment?
(2) Who should pay tithe and where should we pay tithe? Is tithing for us today?
(3) Does tithing involve only money?
(4) Does men of GOD suppose to pay tithe?
(5) Finally we shall equally look at the principles and practice of tithing both in the Bible and today.
(1) WHAT IS TITHING AND WHEN DID THE ISSUE OF TITHING START IN THE BIBLE? Until you have a correct knowledge and understanding about tithe and equally views tithe in its correct perceptive, you may end up wasting your resources in the name of paying tithe. Tithe or Tithing first appeared in the Bible in Genesis 14:20-22 .Here we are told that Abraham gave Melchizedek tithe of all. And in GENESIS 28:22 Jacob defined what tithe is all about from the vow he made to GOD, “And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S house and all that you give me I will SURELY GIVE a tenth to you.”. So we see from the above scriptures that tithe or tithing started in the book of Genesis even before the law was given or before the law came into force in EXODUS, This means that tithing existed before the law was given and is therefore not a law or commandment.
Having seen that tithing is not a law or commandment, what then is the spiritual meaning and essence of tithing? Tithing is simply a covenant obligation which those in the covenant practices TO APPRECIATE GOD AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ARE PAYING TITHE FROM CAME FROM GOD, “and all that you give me , I will surely give a tenth to you” ( Genesis 28:22). In other words tithing is about the covenant or is rooted in the covenant relationship with GOD. That means that when you pay your tithe you are simply expressing your dependence on GOD and is telling GOD that you ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is the ONE that gave you the resources or the power to get the wealth or resources in which the tithe is been paid from. That is to say paying tithe is but expressing your total dependency on GOD and acknowledgement of HIM as the sources of the resources you are paying tithe from. Those who are not paying tithe are simply saying in their heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.” (DEUT.:8:17)While when you pay tithe you are saying or remembering the LORD your GOD, for it is He who gives you power to get the wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your father as it is this day.” (DEUT.8:18) Simply put it or illustrate it: Paying tithe is just like you buying a packet of biscuit for your boy and as your boy opened the packet to eat it you requested from him to give you one piece of biscuit from the packet of ten. How do you feel if the boy refuses to give you or decide to give you half instead of one full? You didn’t request from the boy to give you not that you are hungry or want to eat his biscuit but you want to prove what is in the heart of the boy. In other words GOD is not demanding tithe from you not that He is hungry or in need of your money or resources but that He may prove what is in your heart, whether you acknowledge Him as the source of that resource from which He is demanding tithe payment from. One thing that is worth to mention is that tithing is never in the mind of GOD as an avenue to raise money or to put food on the table for ministers as many hungry pastors has bastardized it. It is highly unfortunate and that is why you always see such ignorant, lazy and hungry pastors always on the pulpit begging their members to pay tithe. Tithe payment must flow from one’s heart voluntarily in appreciation and acknowledgment of GOD not that one is coerced or compelled to do so. No one who has correct understanding of tithe could ever be pleaded to pay ones tithe.

(2) WHO SHOULD PAY TITHE? IS THITHING FOR US TODAY? Having seen that tithing is not a law or commandment a voluntary covenant obligation that those in the covenant practices to appreciate GOD. It means that tithing is only for those who are in the covenant i.e. covenant people of GOD and not for everybody. That is why in the old covenant GOD expected only His covenant people Israel to tithe not from the gentiles. Who are those in the covenant? Those in the covenant are the spiritual Israel and the physical Israel. The physical Israel are the Jews while the spiritual Israel are the born again Christians. So if you are not in the covenant never bother to waste you money in the name of paying tithe as GOD is not expecting tithe from your hand. In other words if you are in the covenant and you are not paying tithe because those not in the covenant are talking against it and making mockery of it, you are living a risky and dangerous life and you need to repent. That is to say you must be one of those in the covenant to qualify to pay tithe in other to reap the benefits that goes with tithing. It then means that so far GOD’S covenant still exist and so far we still maintain covenant relationship with GOD the tithing is for us today. As I said earlier tithing is never an avenue to put food on the table for your pastor (even though pastors could benefit from tithe payment). Therefore if you are viewing tithe as money you are giving to MOG or your pastors you are wrong and you can never reap the benefit that goes with tithing,
For emphasis and to answer the question as to whether tithe is for us today, it is necessary to ask yourself this question: Since tithe is rooted in covenant relationship with GOD, the question is “DOES GOD STILL HAS A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH US TODAY? If the answer is “no” then we have nothing to do with tithing, but if “yes” then tithing is for us today. The next question to answer yourself is; DO YOU HAVE A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

(3) WHERE SHOULD WE PAY TITHE? Again Genesis 28:22 gave us the answer, “And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S HOUSE, and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you.” So we are to pay tithe into the house of GOD, see also Malachi 3:10.We are never to give our tithe to any MOG or pastor but paid into the house of GOD. The next thing to consider is what happens after paying our tithe? I must point out that one of the ways the devil try to rob many of the benefit or blessing that goes with tithing is our trying to poke nose into the way and manner tithe paid are used in the house of GOD i.e. they try to know what happens to the tithe they paid, and by so doing the devil corrupt their mind by telling them that the pastor is using their tithe for their private or personal benefits. This is a wrong perceptive of tithing. Since it is not to the pastor you paid tithe to but to GOD, you should remove your mind as to how it is used or misused, It is GOD that will punish the person that misuses GOD’S tithe and not you. All you know is that you have performed your covenant obligation and should expect the reward or blessing that goes with it from GOD.

(4) DOES TITHING ONLY INVOLVE MONEY? No tithing does not involve only money .We are to tithe from the resources that came our way, whether from farm crops, if you are a crop farmer or from animal if you are an animal farmer or from the fruits from our farm. See the definition of tithe again in Genesis 28:22, “ And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be GOD’S house and ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME I WILL SURELY GIVE TENTH TO YOU”. However, money issue came into picture in tithing in DEUT. 14:22-29. Here GOD gave the instruction that resources mentioned above (animals, crops, wine, fruits etc) could be exchanged for money see verse25. That is to say a farmer is free to pay tithe from the physical items from his or her farm such as chicken or live animals, crops or fruits etc. But if he sells those items, he could pay tithe of money proceeds from the sells.i.e.from what he realized from the sales. Many farmers prefer to pay tithe of money because it is easy to calculate tithe from money proceeds. For example, a farmer who has four ram from his farm, how do you expect him to pay tithe of live ram from that four collection? But if he sells the four rams he could pay tithe from the proceeds from the sells.

(5) DOES MEN OF GOD SUPPOSE TO PAY TITHE? The answer is capital YES, MOG should be the first to pay tithe. Any MOG who does not pay tithe suffers the same fate if not more than lay people that are not paying tithe. Today ask any successful MOG and they will reveal to you that one of their secrets of success is rooted in their faithfulness in their tithe obligations. Some of them that understand the secret covenant of tithing pay more than 10% of the resources that comes their way as tithe. However ignorant pastors who don’t understand the meaning of tithe, who don’t pay tithe themselves because they view tithe as a means of raising money to keep food on their table. Such pastors are always seen struggling begging their members to pay their tithe. See Numbers 18:25-28; Nehemiah 10:38

USES OF TITHE: In the Bible GOD commanded on how proceeds from tithe should be used:
The first reason GOD demanded His covenant people to pay tithe is that there be meat in the house of GOD ( Malachi 3:10)
The second reason or uses of tithe is to maintain the Levites(MOG).Resources from tithe could be used to pay the salaries of MOG as well as their other welfare needs. Numbers 18:28; DEUT, 12:17-19; DEUT. 14:22-29; 2CHR.31:5-10; NEHEMIAH 12:44; 13: 12
The third uses are to take care of the fatherless, strangers, and widowers etc., see DEUT. 26:13

FINALLY PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF TITHING IN THE BIBLE AND TODAY{OR TERMS OF THE COVENANT OF TITHING}
Tithing as a covenant practice has a laid down rules or terms governing it. You must abide or fulfill the terms of the covenant before you can reap the benefit or blessing that goes with it.
The first principle is that you must be qualified to pay tithe (you must be in the covenant, you must be born again).Those who have no covenant relationship with GOD are not expected or required to pay tithe. So the first thing GOD expects from you before you start to pay tithe is to enter into a covenant relationship with HIM-get born again.
Secondly tithing must be paid correctly and from the dept of your heart not as if you are been forced or compelled to do so. Some ignorantly use number six (natural reasoning) in treating tithe matter. As a result, they just give any thing as tithe. For emphasis, tithe is not just any amount; it must be 10% of the resources that comes your way. The principle is that you must be faithful to compute your tithe obligation correctly before GOD can accept it and bless you back. Remember GOD is not in need or a beggar. HE knows the resources that came your way and the tithe you suppose to pay. (Remember the offering of CAIN and ABEL in Genesis!)
I wish to point out that one need to be very careful in dealing with tithe issue so that the devil will not rob us the benefit of tithing by refusing to tithe simply because some so called MOG are abusing proceeds of tithing. Yes it is true some lazy and ignorant and self appointed MOG are abusing tithe payment. They are ignorant of the meaning and essence of tithe that is why they view tithe as avenue to raise money and put food on their table. You will see and know such MOG by their constant coercing and begging their members to pay their tithe. For emphasis tithe payment must never be coerced, forced or begged for. It must flow or paid willingly or it will not be accepted. by GOD.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T PAY MY TITHE? Before looking at what happens if I don’t pay my tithe, let us look at what happens if I faithfully pay my tithe; The answer is in MALACHI Chapter 3 verses 10 to 12: (1) First GOD said HE will open the windows of heaven and pour you a blessing……, ”
(2) Secondly, GOD said HE will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your grounds…, ”
In other words, if you don’t pay your tithe, you will never enjoy the full blessings GOD in your life. Secondly you will continue to suffer under the bondage of the devourer.

MALACHI CHAPTER 3 VERSES 8 TO 12
It is important to look at Malachi 3: 8 – 12. These verses are so miss understood and misinterpreted even by many MOG .Some lazy and ignorant pastors use the above portion of the Bible to coerce their members to part with their resources in the name of paying tithe. The reason is that the view tithing as an avenue to raise money and put food on their table. This is totally a wrong interpretation and view of Malachi 3:8 -12.
It is necessary to read that book of Malachi 3 from verses one to the end (Malachi 3:1 – end) you will see that GOD was trying to rebuke HIS people Israel through prophet Malachi for their defrauding or not keeping to their covenant duties or covenant obligations of tithe and offerings.
Some earlier writers like Kunleoshob and Igbogolo and co, were trying to interpret Malachi 3:8-12 for us using Numbers 18: 25-28. This is totally false and wrong interpretation. I am not saying this to undermine or belittle their write-up because they may be sincere in what they wrote as their writing WAS BASED ON THEIR LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF TITHING.
In their write-up they were trying to prove to us that the rebuke of Malachi 3:8-12 was directed to the LEVITES and not to the whole ISRAEL, This is not true;In Malachi 3 GOD was rebuking the entire Israel and not the Levites alone. Let us look at Malachi chapter 3 from vs. 1 closely for proper understanding of the chapter vs. 1 “Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple, EVEN THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts , ” From vs 1 to vs 5, Malachi was referring to a messenger of the covenant that GOD said will come to direct the people of Israel back to their covenant duties and obligations and what the messenger shall do on his appearing. Let us look at verse 6, “For I am LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” When GOD said ye sons of Jacob, is HE referring to Levites alone or the whole sons of Jacob (Israel)? Verse 7 “ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from ordinances(covenant obligations) and have not kept them, Return unto me , and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of Hosts, But ye said, wherein shall we return,,,”? Is this verse referring to the Levites alone or is it not directed to the whole Israel?
Verse 8, GOD showered them the covenant ordinance (covenant practice, covenant obligations) they should return –TITHES AND OFFERINGS. Verse 9 clearly show us who GOD was referring to, whether LEVITES OR THE WHOLE Israel who HE said was robbing HIM, “Ye are cursed with a course: For ye have robbed me, EVEN THIS WHOLE NATION”.

LIVE EXPERIENCE: There is live experience of tithing I wish to share here; there is a brother I call his name Chris, a Mechanical Engineering graduate. After his youth service he was with a job for almost a year. He was living on welfare and help from brethren. His pastor called him one day and advised him to organize private lessons for secondary school students preparing for exams. He did just that and the amount he was realizing was enough to feed himself and that reduced his begging for assistance. He was faithful paying tithe from what he realized from the lesson. After two years he secured an employment with an oil servicing company and his salary was fantastic and he was faithful paying his tithe. However after three years of working in oil servicing company he got another job with an oil company with salary double his earlier salary. He was happy and continues to worship GOD, paying his tithe faithfully. After two years he switched over to another company, this time around he was paid in dollars in which conversion his tithe every month runs into hundreds of thousands. It was then that he felt that the amount was too much to pay as tithe; he started to default in paying his tithe. He started giving any amount as tithe. According to him, the Holy Spirit warned him severally but he refused to heed the warning, Eventually after two years and four months he was fired i.e. he lost his job. He was without job for six good months and his eyes got opened and he ran to his pastor (the church) seeking for prayers with a vow to GOD to be paying 20% as tithe if GOD could have mercy and grant him another job. GOD been faithful had mercy on him and granted him another job. However the salary he was paid was 40% less than the job he lost. The essence of this story is to show you that paying tithe is for your own good not to help GOD or any MOG. Remember GOD is never in need neither the MOG you think you are helping by paying your tithe.
In concluding this write-up, I wish to ask you, are you paying your tithe faithfully? If yes, are you convinced of the reason for paying it . Are you in the covenant?. You are not paying tithe, is it because those not in the covenant are talking against it and making mockery of tithe payment?, I hope I have shown you the reason why you should pay or not pay tithe. It is left for you to decide. A word is enough for the wise.

What a load of crap All this unintelligible rants just to prove that tithes preaching is not a scam, well sorry the truth is already out people are beginning to see it as the fraud it is.

^^^
says who? the devil is only trying to Robb us of blessing by attacking tithes. We will continually serve God with our tithing till Jesus comes.

@newmi
We know your your god whom you serve with your tithes is oyaks, unfortunately he is not recognized by Jesus who views the vagabond as a wolf in sheeps clothing.

KunleOshob:

What a load of crap All this unintelligible rants just to prove that tithes preaching is not a scam, well sorry the truth is already out people are beginning to see it as the fraud it is.

@kunle, I know you will say that ,i am beginning to wonder if you are among the satan's worshippers?. I said this because the way and manner you distort various biblical truth and attack various men of GOD does not potray someone that knew GOD at all. Anyway for the sake of our members who desire to know the truth i challenge you, "LET US ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION BY LOOKING AT THE ABOVE TOPIC X-RAYING ONE BY ONE EACH POINTS TO PROVE WHO IS ACTUALLY SAYING THE TRUTH."
Kunle i assure you, your mission of distorting the truth in this forum to prevent people from knowing the truth will fail this time around.

@ogoamaka
I am now a satanist just becos I choose to stand by the truth a reveal a fraud being perpetuated in the name of God by those who claim to serve him? Since when did standing for the truth start qualifying one as a satanist? Or are you just trying to dis-credit me becos I am expose the fraud you and your partners in crime like Oyaks are perpetuating? The fact remains that tithing the way it is preacheed today is unbiblical and is a pure fraud. The onus is on you to prove otherwise.

Has he not proven it Enough? With the write up above?

KunleOshob:

@newmi
We know your your god whom you serve with your tithes is oyaks, unfortunately he is not recognized by Jesus who views the vagabond as a wolf in sheeps clothing.

My tithes Goes to God,and not my pastor. What God is looking at is the heart by which I give it and not where the physical cash goes.

@poster .
well done for the post. its quite interesting and i know it will help to enlighten people on TITHING.

@ kunle,
My dear kunle, i don't have any thing against you or anyone in this forum. All i request from you is try to have an open mind that will enable you to be receptive to new information and knowledge about tithe. That will surely correct the error you have about tithe.

As soon as you use Malachi in your argument, you have lost the argument because Malachi is referring to God's commands to tithe.

In Malachi 3:7 God refers to His ORDINANCES. Now, before you go any further, you must be able to identify exactly which ordinances God was referring to. Otherwise, you don't understand what God is talking about.

His ORDINANCES referred to in Malachi 3:7 are contained in Numbers 18. Those ordinances are the ONLY tithe where any part of it went to the storehouse.

Hebrews 7:18 disannulls Numbers 18. Otherwise, we would still be under the Levitical priesthood.

IF tithing has been established with Abraham giving a tenth of WAR SPOILS, and keeping NOTHING for himself, then Jacob would not have put conditions on God to meet BEFORE Jacob would give a tenth, and there is NO scripture to show that Jacob ever, in fact, gave a tenth of anything.

NO ONE is following Abraham's example today.

Just another failed attempt to try to justify the tithing lie.

garyarnold:

As soon as you use Malachi in your argument, you have lost the argument because Malachi is referring to God's commands to tithe.

In Malachi 3:7 God refers to His ORDINANCES. Now, before you go any further, you must be able to identify exactly which ordinances God was referring to. Otherwise, you don't understand what God is talking about.

His ORDINANCES referred to in Malachi 3:7 are contained in Numbers 18. Those ordinances are the ONLY tithe where any part of it went to the storehouse.

Hebrews 7:18 disannulls Numbers 18. Otherwise, we would still be under the Levitical priesthood.

IF tithing has been established with Abraham giving a tenth of WAR SPOILS, and keeping NOTHING for himself, then Jacob would not have put conditions on God to meet BEFORE Jacob would give a tenth, and there is NO scripture to show that Jacob ever, in fact, gave a tenth of anything.

NO ONE is following Abraham's example today.

Just another failed attempt to try to justify the tithing lie.

My dear, you are totally confused and that is why you are confusing others. Malachi is not a command to tithe, Malachi is but GOD'S rebuke on ISRAEL for not keeping to their covenant obligation of tithing. That is why HE TOLD THEM TO RETURN.
Moreover you need to know the meaning of tithe in the first place before you begin to talk about tithe. From all you are saying you are still ignorance of the meaning of tithe and the essence. Tithe is not to the Levite but to GOD though GOD decided to allow levite to partake from tithe because they have no inheritance in ISRAEL.

@ogoamaka99,

The definition of tithe is a tenth, or a tenth part.

But, God defined His tithe in Leviticus 27:30-33.

Leviticus 27:30-34 (KJV)
30And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.
31And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
32And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
33He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
34These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

IF it doesn't meet God's definition for His tithe, it isn't God's tithe. Plain and simple. When referring to The Lord's Tithe, you are in great error if you include something that God, Himself, did NOT include in His definition.

Malachi 3:7 - God refers to His ORDINANCES. God is referring to His commands, His laws regarding tithes and offerings, NOT some man-made garbage.

It's really quite simple. Stick with God's Word and you won't go wrong.

God NEVER gave any pastor or church permission to receive His tithe.

God NEVER asked or commanded anyone to give to Him a tenth of anything man makes or earns.

It is you who doesn't understand the Biblical definition of tithe. YOU are stuck on man's definition.

I am glad you do read Bible, however your problem is that you have a mind set on the issue of tithe.I don't wish to say anything again on this thread. We will engage this discussion on another thread. So watch out for the thread " TITHE AND TITHING MATTERS ARISING".

I am glad you do read Bible, however your problem is that you have a mind set on the issue of tithe.

Since I am a Money & Finance Minister, I definitely have a mind set on the issue of tithing. The false teaching of tithing, and the correct teaching of giving is what my ministry is all about.

@garyarnold,
Meet you again on tithe and tithing -matters arising

"EVERY COVENANT CHILD OF GOD PAYS TITHE. HOWEVER IT DEPENDS ON TO WHO YOU PAY IT TO - WHETHER TO GOD OR TO THE DEVIL."

" WHEN YOU DON'T TITHE YOUR LIFE WILL BE TIGHT".

Surely you pay tithe directly or indirectly whether to GOD or to the devil. When the devourer is at work in your life as a result of not paying your tithe - through much hospital bill, unexplained and unjustified expenses etc -surely you are paying tithe.

^^^
All these baseless unscriptural bull-shit just to intimidate muguns to part with a tenth of their income. I don't pay a farthing as tithes and God continues to bless me and several other non tithers tremendously without any devourers disturbing our lives. Infact the only devourers I know are churches like CE that comes up with several scams to devour their members income. Such scams include tithes, various types of offerings, partner ship seeds, first fruit, offer 7 amongst several other scams they regularly device.

@all CE pastors
stop fleecing people in the name of tithe. It's high time u changed ur lives

^^^^^
did ogoamaka tell you he is a CEC member?

GOD is never a task master neither is He in need of your money. Faithfully obey GOD not man and it will be well with you.

^^^
If you know this, why do you join criminals in extorting unbiblical monetary tithes from believers claiming the money is meant fo God.

GOD is a re warder of them that diligently seek and obey him. If kunle deceives you not to obey GOD NA YOU SABI! ! !

@ogoamaka
You are just a JOKE, you seriously need to repent from your fraudulent and evil ways. I have raised several issues concerning the tithing scam, why don't you address them instead of appealing to schematics.

@kunleoshob,
I don't need to fight over words with you over tithe. You have over the years been distorting the BIBLE truth concerning tithe which you have been posting before the public. I have taken time to present the true Bible position over tithing as it is in the mind of GOD. It seems you are afraid of the truth.?
You are fond of making a general statement that can't be substantiated . To you tithe is a scam, so it is you who need to disprove the Biblical truth i have presented above. However it is wise to itimize one by one the so called scam as you see it with Biblical backing to prove your points not just making a statement. Do that and i will reply you or rather keep your mouth shot over tithe matters as you don't know what you are saying.

@ogoamaka.
Thank you for those wonderful posts, they are very enlightening .

@kunleoshob,
I still wait for you to prove your point why you said that tithe is a scam.

@ogoamaka
Why don't you first prove to me that the type of tithing being preached and practised today is the biblical tithe, also prove to me using scriptures that new testment christians were directed to tithe of their income. If you can't prove the two points raised above using clear undiluted and twisted scripture then tithing the way it is preached and extorted today remains the biggest and longest standing scam in the history of mankind.

@Ogoamaka

Tithing today has been confimed to be a scam,because the pastors don't always quote The book of deut 14:22-29 where the biblical tithe was explicitly explained.They always run to malachi wh was merely quoting the mosaic law without really giving details.

In the book of deut it was explicitly proven that

1.Tithing was one of the now abolished mosaic law
2. Tithing never involved money
3.Annual tithing was to be eaten by the tither and his family
4.Levithical tithing was done once every three years
5.Tithing was never done on weekly ,daily or monthly basis
6Beneficiaries of tihes include just levites,widows,orhans and strangers.

What is practiced today in churches has no biblical basis

@ogoamaka
The points raised by chukwudi above lends further credence to the fact that tithes preached and extorted today is a scam and is totally different from the biblical tithe. Infact the only similarity between them is the title "tithes"

Just a thought guys!

Tithing for Israel is not the same as the tithe that we hear of today-- in fact tithing was rarely money. There were three tithes in the Old Covenant. More often tithes were the crops, the produce of the soil was to be tithed, grains, the fruit of the trees, every year new wine and oil, the firstborn of their herds and flocks (Leviticus 27:30-33). If the place the nation of Israel were to tithe and was too far away to carry their goods (such as Jerusalem), it could be exchanged for money. They were to use their money to buy anything the owner chose: cattle, sheep, wine (Deuteronomy 14:22-26). Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). You can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe.

The degree that prosperity teachers manipulate God's people is more than most schemers in the world would dare to do, and they do it without shame. It's all done in the name of our God. The apostles made it clear “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth”(2 Corinthians 4:2-3).

No other Scripture has had greater mileage than Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Malachi 3 has been greatly misused for God's blessing to come to his people. A closer look of this verse in the context shows that it has nothing to do with wealth or material blessings. We first find this same term used by God back in Genesis 7:11 the windows of heaven were open and rain contributed to the flood, as the fountains of the deep were broken open. In Genesis 8:2 it says the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. Isaiah 24:18 it also mentions the windows from on high; this phrase is consistently used for water. In Genesis it was a judgment. In Malachi 3 it was to be a blessing on their crops. The nation lived by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God's blessing had to do with his provision of water; no rain and they would starve. If they did not give God their tithes which was part of the blessing in the Mosaic covenant God would bring a curse on them, the ground would not yield food because he would not allow it to rain.

By the nation Israel tithing under the Law of Moses, they were to trust God acknowledging that everything belongs to Him. It is impossible to tithe as given to Moses, for it was mostly agricultural. Today we hear that we are to obey the tithe law. The tithes were not gifts, they were taxes, tithes were given in addition to other numerous offerings which ended up to be over 22% (not just 10%). Under the law if you were only giving 10 percent on your tithes you would still be robbing God. One tithe was used to support the Levites (Numbers 18:21-32), who were not allowed to own property like the other tribes of Israel. However, this tithe from the people brought to the Levitical priests was not just money. The goods the Levites received would provide their living for their work in the tabernacle. They also were to tithe on part of the goods that they received, and were to dedicate to the Lord a tenth to the office of the high priest (Numbers 18:21-28). It was the Levites who were to “bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse” (Nehemiah 10:38). The Malachi passage that so many use to prove we are to tithe is not rebuking the people, he is rebuking the Levites for keeping the tithe that went to them. When modern day prosperity teachers use this verse on the people to be faithful, but they are really pointing at themselves-except they are biblically ignorant to recognize what it's actually saying. 1 Timothy 1:5-7 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.” The New Testament teaches grace giving, tithing was not a freewill cheerful giving, it was a commandment in Moses' law to a nation under God, Israel. Nowhere in the New Testament does it require any obligation or a legal portion of ones income.

Prosperity teachers who promote tithing like to point out that Jesus commanded tithing. In the New Testament tithe and tithing are found eight times (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-6,8-9). All of these passages refer to the Old Testament usage under the law. Tithing was still practiced under the law when Jesus was on earth, however, the only time Jesus mentioned the tithe was a rebuke to the religious leaders “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. In Matthew 23:23 he explains they “have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” These you ought to have done” Here Jesus makes it clear that living the life of faith toward God included love toward man and was more necessary than what you give to God; and this was under the law, not grace. Think about what is Jesus addressing? Justice, the Pharisees were unfair in the in dealings with the people, they ripped them off in their sacrifices brought to the temple. Mercy, they had none, everyone had to be as religious (spiritual) as they were. They constantly looked down upon people, remember the story Jesus told of “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).

So we see giving is not enough to make one justified before God, yet many have been convinced to rely on their obedience in this area to have God's blessings.

The Pharisees said they have faith but they were more interested in the money, in fact Jesus said: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.” ( so did Judas John 12:5-6). Then Jesus scolded them saying “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God,” and He then summed it up by giving another parable--the rich man and Lazarus. The poor man entered where the faithful were, finding rest in Abraham's bosom but the rich man entered torment. The rich man was punished, not because he was rich but because he lived for self, he had no compassion for poor Lazarus whom he walked by and ignored each day as he sat by his gate.

The weightier matters of the law, what are they? The Christians are to focus on giving to those in need. “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mk. 12:31; Gal. 5:14). “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). The principle is to help others, especially the less fortunate brethren (following in principle Deut.14,26)

You'll notice that those promoters of tithing will always use the Old covenant law to justify their teaching this method of blessing. What the prosperity teachers do is bring people out from grace and under law. Under the New Testament covenant there is no specific amount required to give, you determine the amount you can freely give. “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

So on the question of tithing in the New Testament. Nowhere does Paul or any other apostle mention a required amount. On the other hand, Israel was under the law, being a theocratic nation they were obligated to tithe. Jesus had kept the law before He was crucified, for this reason Jesus had Peter pay the temple tax (Matthew 17:24). After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb.8:7,13). New Testament Christians were NEVER under the Old covenant law? One cannot conclude tithing is required under the New Covenant the same as the Lord's Supper and Baptism. Not once does any epistle contain any admonitions or a rebuke for failing to tithe. The necessity of giving is mentioned but only with the right attitude, to help and support others. You do not have to tithe to have God's blessing, in fact, those who are well off are asked to give away their things away when necessary. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

Today we find the poor desiring to be rich and the rich often look upon themselves as blessed and using their abundance as proof of their spiritual condition. They have trained themselves in covetousness ignoring Mark 4:19: “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” One can have an abundance of material blessings and still be bankrupt in their spirituality. We have Jesus saying this about the church of Laodicea. We have too many examples of spiritual giants who have followed this path of abundance to their own demise, Solomon for one. Jesus spoke about money probably more than any other subject, but often with warnings and rebukes, not as a blessing promised for all who follow Him. From today's prosperity preaching one would never know Jesus said to “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15-2). We are cautioned through the whole body of Scripture to be careful of coveting and pursuing riches. Solomon who had more money than most of us will ever see wrote in Proverbs 28:20-23: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him. He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.” Solomon gave both sides of this issue, being poor and being rich. A faithful man is one who serves the Lord no matter what he has, much or little. In other words, we are to be content no matter what we have. We can mistakenly focus our pursuit on only the blessings without realizing that we have abandoned a spiritual life and moved ourselves into a position of severe chastening. Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? We already have promised what we need according to the love and provision found in Christ Jesus.

It is doubtful we can pinpoint where or when tithing as a legalistic requirement came into the Church, but we can certainly trace its current popularity to the modern prosperity teachers with their promotion of seed faith giving. Many teachers use Mark 10:30 as a promise that anything we give to the Lord will be multiplied one hundred times back to us. Jesus was not speaking about giving, but leaving these things and relatives to follow him. In fact, neither money nor giving is mentioned in association with the hundredfold found in Mark. There is no excuse for teaching this and leading the congregation into collective coveting by their giving. Read the passage carefully! Regardless of what they say it says, did you ever consider that it is because they only want to be on the receiving end? Solomon wrote, “The leech has two daughters--give and Give!” (Proverbs 30:15).

Some teach tithing is the only way the local church is to be supported and tithing to the local church determines a person's spirituality, some have gone as far as to suppose that tithing is a requirement of salvation, if one does not give 10% they are not a true Christian. Some teach from Malachi 3 that you are cursed! What manipulation. If you want to understand the book of Malachi, read Malachi 4:4, “Remember the Law of Moses…” its not just tithing. If you choose by obligation to submit yourself to even part of the Law of Moses, you are obligated to keep it all. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them” (Galatians 3:10). It is actually the opposite, if you tithe by obligation then you are bound by all the law. Galatians 5:4 explains “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

If you run into financial difficulties and are unable to feed your family or pay the mortgage, you are not obligated to continue giving 10% to the church. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Tim 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” This is ones first ministry; rest assured the church will get along without your money.

If you have set aside money for your family needs, but do not use it for them and instead pay it to a church or a ministry as tithes, or as an offering of seed to get out of debt your are not being a good steward. If you owe money on your house don't fall for the scammers that say the $1,000 you have saved for the mortgage will not pay for the house so send it in as a seed to get more money. They are feeding on your carnal nature and making you covet--be responsible to God. Scripture does not teach to give more than you can afford, nor give so God can give you more. There was no mention of the poor becoming rich in the gospel, Jesus did not promise a hundred-fold blessing. “For there are many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucere's sake” (Titus 1:10-11). Their motivation is money, what is your motivation? It has been said “He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages”(Roger L'eStrange). What did Jesus tell us, you can't serve God and Mammon at the same time.

If your family is hungry and you need help to pay the rent you shouldn't be obligated to tithe the church should instead be helping you-willingly. That is what they are there for. We have this example in the early church (Acts 4:37). It is to be the “love of Christ that constrains us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). For it is the heart of God to help those in need, in money if necessary. We as the church should be looking for opportunities to give to those less fortunate around us not to those who already have it all. I hear of too many stories of rich ministries being supported for years and then someone who is hurting asks for some help and they get none. Where is your motivation? Is it of legalism, by law, or from the heart. It is to be the Lord Jesus reaching out and meeting the needs of others through us -- love is the principle that governs the Christians life, it is active not passive. “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not (His) love, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). Yes you can actually give it all away as required and still not do it as a response from your heart.

Then there is the rich young ruler who gives us all an example. Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” The man could not do this. Jesus did not tell the man to tithe to him. After the rich man left Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) Those who had less were often able to respond more easily because it did not get in the way, they had less to give up to follow Him.

Jesus did not teach to give to his ministry but to help the less fortunate “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail” (Luke 12:33-34). Zacchaeus understood this and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:8-9). Want to be blessed, don't give to get more, give from your heart to others that are needy because it is the right thing to do.

We should not be supporting false teachers and those who abuse the money and the gospel for gain. We should be looking to support those who are sincere and are in need of help in doing the Lords work. Those who are involved in full-time ministry are to be supported by the people they serve (1 Cor 9:7-14, 1 Tim 5:17-18), and those who do ministry and mission work need to be supported by those who are home with the goods. A careful review of New Testament giving reveals to us that our contributions should not only be to support our local church and ministries, but also meet the basic needs of our fellow Christians (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:1-13; 1 Tim. 6:17-19). There was organized giving within local assemblies to care for believing widows and orphans who had no other family to rely on (Acts 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:1-16).

There is NO example of the early Church (book of Acts) “tithing.” In Acts 4:32-37, there were many wealthy Christians who sold portions of their assets and put the money at the Apostles' feet. Was it for the apostles? No, but for the Christian community, those in need. The apostles distributed it. The only time we find a judgment having to do with money is in Acts 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira were condemned for lying, because they held back part of the proceeds from the sale of the land that they had promised along with everyone else. This had absolutely nothing to do with “tithing,” as much as it had to do with keeping their word, let your yes be yes, and no, no.

Proverbs 22:16 “He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.” The prosperity teachers increases their wealth by giving unbiblical promises of becoming prosperous to the poor and those giving their money to them are doing what this Scripture says not to. The poor, the homeless, the fatherless, and the widow have always been the focus of God (Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy 14:28-29, 24:17-22; Psalm 12:5, 72:4,11-12). Today they are neglected you can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe. Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). How much consideration we have for the poor and needy, is an indication of our spiritual condition (1 John 3:17, James 2:1-9). Seen any poor or needy invited to any big parties at the ministries expense lately?

Our giving is to be voluntary, willing, and cheerful as an offering. As believers we are to be generous by sharing our material possessions with the needy and support Christian ministries (authentic ones). Every Christian should give to the place they are fed by and support the work that is taking place in their own community by the local church they attend. Giving to our church, missionaries, wherever we think the need is greater or where the Holy Spirit may put on our heart. Other offerings would be for ministries they would like to bless in their work. In principle, 10 percent may be a good goal; some may be able to give much more, some less. One should not be made guilty for whatever amount they give; the only requirement in the New Testament is to give cheerfully and willingly (Romans 12:6,8; 2 Corinthians 9:7). Tithing to get out of debt is not the answer for relieving anyone of any money problems; it's not a Biblical practice but a myth started by the prosperity teachers of seed faith. We need to teach responsibility in handling our money. It’s time to give to those who really need the support for God's work.

The New Testament when it speaks about giving goes against “tithing as a doctrine. 2 Cor. 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.” Notice there is no amount mentioned, it what you have settled in your own heart. The Greek word for cheerful is hilaros, it is the English word “hilarious,” meaning give in a joyful, cheery, and exuberant manner. We should be happy and joyful to give to expand God's Kingdom. We are specifically told not to give grudgingly. The Greek word for grudgingly is lupe. It carries the meaning of sorrow, grief, being annoyed. If you are compelled to give, or give out of necessity and you have sorrow and annoyance in your heart don't give. If someone has convinced you or forced you to give by making you feel guilty or promised you a greater return, then you are no longer a cheerful giver.

The Apostle Paul also says in 1 Cor. 16:2, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Again, it is not “tithing,” only giving as one has purposed in his heart and as one has prospered, you choose the amount. God does not pressure us, or manipulate us by guilt or hold a bonus out to us to motivate us to give. Have you ever noticed Jesus did not take any offerings!

Love is to be our motivation, not compulsion or legalism (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor . 13:1-7). The more a person loves God the more he will want to give to see his work exp and, and this not always mean money.

Again I'm not saying ministries do not need support, they do, but to twist the word of God to mean something it does not to get this support by promising hundred/ thousand fold blessings is seditious. Money itself is not the issue, but how you relate to money; God is looking at our heart, what's our motivation. We are not to look to the “here and now” for our reward, but toward heaven where our treasure is being stored up. If you give to get more, to increase that is giving for reaping on earth. Where are you looking, where is your heart today? Jesus said: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our Motivation is what is important; we should not give up something for the purpose to get something better, and neither should we give something to get something.

We should all support those we can in ministry, we should support the churches work, we should also look where God can use us to support those in need.

Under the conditional covenant of the Old Testament tithing was a necessity. It is not a command in the New Testament, it is a principle -- we give out of love, from the heart because we are under a new unconditional covenant not the Old Testament law.

(Copied from the profile of Tyrone Scott Howard on Facebook)

Well said sir, initially i wont want to be openminded about it but when i realize the emphasis being laid on this issue. I became inquisitive about it. God wont come down to make use of the tithe whether monetary or not. When we realy want to pay tithe, we should pay tithe of all tins, ur children, time, material goods and what have u. I have realy consider not to pay my tithe any longer and if i'll do, i will do it willingly not coercively.